Australia's unemployment rate at 5.5 per cent in December 2009 (Media Release)

MEDIA RELEASE

January 14, 2010

Embargo: 11.30 am (AEDT)

03/2010

Australia's unemployment rate at 5.5 per cent in December 2009: ABS

The Australian unemployment rate was at 5.5 per cent in December, the Australian Bureau of Statistics announced today. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.1 per cent, from the revised 5.6 per cent in November.

The number of people employed in December increased by 35,200 to 10.906 million, seasonally adjusted, the ABS reported, driven by a rise in part-time employment, up 27,900 persons to 3.271 million together with a rise in full-time employment, up 7,300 persons to 7.635 million.

The ABS also reported the number of people unemployed decreased by 10,600 in December to 639,400.

The ABS seasonally adjusted monthly aggregate hours worked series showed a slight fall in December, down 1.0 million hours to 1,535.6 million hours.

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